Canada Soccer – Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Youth Program has announced a 20-player roster for the upcoming Men’s U-20 International Friendly match against England. Canada Soccer’s technical staff, led by U-20 coach Rob Gale, has selected a squad of players born 1996 or later.

The England camp offers Canada Soccer’s young players another opportunity to accumulate experience through international competition. Canada will face England on Sunday 27 March 2016 in Doncaster, England at Keepmoat Stadium (16.00 local kick off).

“This is an additional opportunity to bring together our exceptional young players,” said Rob Gale, Canada Soccer’s Men’s National U-20 Coach. “We selected players from a range of different ages so that we could benefit this group with a key development opportunity through a high-level opposition.”

The Canadian team will travel to England on Monday 21 March, with the eight-day camp falling over the FIFA window for international competition. Players have been selected from clubs in Canada and abroad.

Several of the 1996-born players faced England in a Men’s U-20 International Friendly match just over 17 months ago in Bournemouth on 12 November 2014. The match ended in a 2:2 draw, with returning striker Jordan Hamilton scoring the equaliser in the 90th minute. Other players from that camp returning to England in March 2016 are Marco Carducci, Marco Bustos, and Marko Aleksic.

While the 1996-born players are not eligible for the next FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2017, Canada Soccer identified this camp as another opportunity to help develop these key players on their journey to the Men’s National Team. Players born 1997 or later, meanwhile, are equally eligible for the current cycle of CONCACAF / FIFA competition on the road to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017.

The two youngest players in the squad are 15-year old Alphonso Davies (born in 2000) and 16-year old Ballou Tabla (born in 1999). Both of these players are in fact eligible for the next FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019.

Canada Soccer’s Men’s EXCEL Program channels our nation’s exceptional players into the best soccer environments. The Canada Soccer Pathway works in collaboration with our provincial and territory partners as well as the professional clubs and academies. For Canada’s elite players, the program emphasizes player development on the pathway to representing Canada’s Men’s National Team in international soccer.

CANADA
GK- Marco Carducci | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
GK- James Pantemis | CAN / FC Montréal
CB- Marko Aleksic | CAN / FC Edmonton
CB- Liam Fraser | CAN / Toronto FC II
CB- Thomas Meilleur Giguère | CAN / FC Montréal
CB- Fikayo Tomori | ENG / Chelsea FC
FB- Gabriel Boakye | CAN / Unattached
FB- Kadin Chung | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps 2
FB- Marcus Godinho | CAN / Unattached
M- Tristan Borges | NED / sc Heerenveen
M- Marco Bustos | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps FC
M- Alphonso Davies | CAN / Vancouver Whitecaps 2
M- Marco-Leonel Dominguez | CAN / FC Montréal
M- Duwayne Ewart | USA / Pittsburgh Riverhounds
M- Shamit Shome | CAN / FC Edmonton
M- Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla | CAN / FC Montréal
M- Luca Uccello | CAN / Toronto FC II
F- Jordan Hamilton | CAN / Toronto FC
F- Dario Zanatta | SCO / Heart of Midlothian FC

CANADA A-Z
Name | Birthyear | Age | City in which they grew up | Active start in soccer
Aleksic, Marko | 1996 | 19 | Sherwood Park, AB, CAN | Lago Lindo Soccer Community League
Boakye, Gabriel | 1998 | 18 | Richmond Hill, ON, CAN | Oakridges SC
Borges, Tristan | 1998 | 17 | Toronto, ON, CAN |
Bustos, Marco | 1996 | 19 | Winnipeg, MB, CAN | Garden City Community Center
Carducci, Marco | 1996 | 19 | Calgary, AB, CAN | MSB United
Chung, Kadin | 1998 | 17 | Port Coquitlam, BC, CAN | Coquitlam Metro Ford FC
Davies, Alphonso | 2000 | 15 | Edmonton, AB, CAN |
Dominguez, Marco-Leonel | 1996 | 20 | Montréal, QC, CAN | Braves d’Ahuntsic Concordia
Ewart, Duwayne | 1998 | 18 | Scarborough, ON, CAN | North Scarborough SC
Fraser, Liam | 1998 | 18 | Toronto, ON, CAN |
Godinho, Marcus | 1997 | 18 | Toronto, ON, CAN | North York Azzurri
Hamilton, Jordan | 1996 | 20 | Scarborough, ON, CAN | North Scarborough SC
Meilleur Giguère, Thomas | 1997 | 18 | L’Assomption, QC, CAN | CS L’Assomption
Pantemis, James | 1997 | 19 | Montréal, QC, CAN | Pierrefonds
Shome, Shamit | 1997 | 18 | Edmonton, AB, CAN | Southwest United SC
Tabla, Ballou Jean-Yves | 1999 | 16 | QC, CAN |
Tomori, Fikayo | 1997 | 18 | London, ENG | Riverview United
Uccello, Luca | 1997 | 18 | Richmond Hill, ON, CAN | Thornhill SC
Zanatta, Dario | 1997 | 18 | Victoria, BC, CAN | Gorge SA

About Canada Soccer

Canada Soccer, in partnership with its membership and its partners, provides leadership in the pursuit of excellence in soccer, both at the national and international levels. Canada Soccer not only strives to lead Canada to victory, but also encourages Canadians to a life-long passion for soccer. For more details on Canada Soccer, visit the official website at canadasoccer.com

For our most recent photographs, please visit our Flickr Photostream

Media Contacts

Richard Scott

Men’s National Teams Program
rscott@canadasoccer.com
m. 613-818-0305

Carrie Croft

Women’s National Teams Program
ccroft@canadasoccer.com
m. 613-406-4986